Power-transmitting device.



W. F. VAN HOESEN.

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED IULYG, 1915.

Pate nted Feb.15,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

w. F. VAN HOESEN.

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APE'LICATION FILED JULY 6. 1915.

I 1,172,077. Patented Feb. 15,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET-2.

WILLIAM F. VAN HOE-SEN, F SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

POWER-TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

, To all whom it may concern;

'- Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. Vim

'HOESEN, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State-of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power-Transmitting Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

My-invention is an improved device for initially rotatin machines in one direction, wherein the tendency of such machines is to rotate in a retrograde direction.

The object of-the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device of this class which will prevent retrograde movement of the starting device, if the machine should operate in such a direction.

With this general object in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and in unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and, claimed.

y In describing the invention, I shall refer if)" the accompanying drawings which consmtute a part of this application and in similar view showing a different position of parts; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1

illustrating a modified form of construction; and, Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on the plane designated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In the embodiment illustrated from Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the numeral 1 indicates the shaft of an internal combustion engine, said shaft having at its front end a clutch member 2 to be engaged by an additional member 3 to initially rotate the shaft 1, the member 3 being driven either by hand or mechanical power, but being here shown as mounted upon a starting shaft 4 which is equipped at its front end with a crank 5.

The shaft 4 is provided at a point spaced forwardly from its rear end, with a. radially disposed key m'ember 6 here shown in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 6, 1915. Serial No. 38,197.

Patented Feb. 15,1916.

the form of a pin passed through sa d shaft, the opposite ends of this pin being received in a pair-of notches 7 formed at diametrically opposite points in the front end of asleeve 8. The sleeve 8 loosely surrounds the shaft 4 and is connected thereto by the pin 6 when positioned in the notches 7, and said sleeve carries the clutch member 3 as clearly disclosed in Fig. 2. The rear end of the sleeve 8 bears against the front end of a' coiled spring 9 which surrounds the rear end of the shaft 4 and which is disposed in contact with a stop nut 10 on said rear end of the shaft, whereby the tension of said spring is normally exerted to retain the pin 6.in the notches 7 thus establishing connection between the shaft 4 and clutch member. 3 to allow the member 2 to be rotated when engaged by said member 3, if the crank 5 is turned in a clockwise direction, thereby initially starting the engine.

- In case any of the cylinders of the engine in this direction, since were s eh movement on the part of said crank allowed, injury to the person cranking the engine would undoubtedly follow. For accomplishing .the desiredresult, the following construction is provided: Loosely surrounding the sleeve 8 is a ring 11 having in its front end a pair of diametrically opposite notches 12 which normally receive the ends of the pin 6 therein, whereby the ring 11 may rotate with the shaft 4 and sleeve 8. The notches 12, however, are provided with oblique rear walls 13 which contact with the rear sides of the end portions of the pin 6 and which are dis- Posed at angles to the direction of rotation of the shaft, this provision being made for a purpose yet to be set forth. The ring 11 may be of such width as to abut the front end of the clutch member 3 or it may be spaced from said member by an appropriate washer 14.- Surrounding the ring 11, is a collar 15 which is provided with a tangentially disposed guide bore 16 which intercepts one side of the opening 17 of said collar, one end of the bore 16 being permanently closed, while the other end thereof is closed by'ascrew plug 18. Mounted slid ably in the bore 16 is a wedge shaped jaw member 19 having teeth on one of its sides which are exposed at the edge of the opening 17, when said member 19 is shifted in one direction by a coiled spring 20.

The collar 15 is provided with a pair of lugs 21. which project laterally at diametrically opposite points therefrom and slide in guides 21 fixed to an appropriate support. Thus it will be seen that when the crank 5 is rotated in one direction, the ring 11, although engaging the teeth of the member 19, will tend to shift the latter against its spring 20, thus disposing the thinner end of said member for contact with the ring. If, however, the engine should back tire and thus rotate the clutch member 8 and sleeve 8 in a reverse direction, the jaw member 19 will bite into the ring 11 and will prevent movement thereof. The result is that the walls of the notches 7, being in contact with the pin 6, will turn the shaft 4 only an infinitesimal amount, and in so doing said pin is forced against the cam faces 13 of the notches l2, whereupon the entire shaft 4 is shifted forwardly against the tensidn of thespring 9, to such an extent as to remove the pint from the notches 7, thereby allowing the engine shaft 1 and the sleeve 8 to rotate freely whereas no movement is imparted to the starting shaft at. Thus it will be evident that injury to the person cranking the engine is prevented. When the momentum imparted. to the engine by back firing has been exhausted, the crank 5 may be againrotated in the proper direction to continue proper rotation of the shaft 1, it being evident that on every half rotation of the sleeve 8, the spring 9 will again cause the pin 6 to engage the notches 7, thus again establishing con nection between the shafts 4 and 1; such connection, however, is again broken if the shaft 1 continues to rotate in the wrong direction. Needless to say, if the pin 6 is not seated. in the notches 7 when the impetus imparted by back firing is exhausted, these parts may be again engaged by rotation of the shaft 1.

In Figs. 5 and 6, the collar 15 and the washer 1 1 are omitted, and-an additional collar 15 is positioned between the clutch member 3 and. the ring 11, the abutting faces of said collar and ring being provided with coacting ratchet teeth 19 which will allow the ring 11 to rotate in one direction, but not reversely, since the collar 15 is held against rotation by disposing a pair of radially extending lugs or the like 21* with which it is provided, in guides 21% From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be evident that although very simple construction has been provided. the invention will be highly efficient and durable and. will possess a number of advanta' geous features.

In the drawings, certain specific details of construction have been shown for accomplishing probably the best results, and in the 1. In combination, a starting shaft to be rotated in one direction, a radially disposed key member carried thereby and spaced from one end thereof, a stop on said end, a sleeve loosely surrounding the shaft and having in one end a notch receiving the key member therein, a clutch member carried by said sleeve, a spring interposed between the sleeve and the stop whereby to retain the key member in the aforesaid notcln' a ring loosely surrounding but forwardly rotatable with the sleeve and having at one end a key shifting cam disposed at an angle to the direction of rotation of the shaft and normally positioned in contact with the rear side of said key member, and means to prevent retrograde rotation of said ring.

In combination, a starting shaft to be rotated in. one direction, a radially disposed key member carried thereby and spaced from one end thereof, a stop on. said end, a sleeve loosely surrounding the shaft and. having in one end a notch receiving the key membertherein, a clutch member carried by said sleeve, a spring interposed between the sleeve and the stop whereby to retain the key member in the aforesaid notch, a ring looselysurrounding but forwardly rotatable with the sleeve and having in one end a notch into which the key member projects, said notch having a rear wall disposed at an angle to the direction of rotation of the shaft and normally positioned in contact with the rear side of said key member, and means to prevent retrograde rotation of the aforesaid ring.

In combination, a starting shaft to be rotated in one direction, a pin passed radially through said shaft at a point spaced from one end thereof. the opposite ends of the pin being projected in opposite directions from the shaft, a nut on said end of the shaft. a sleeve loosely surrounding the shaft between the nut and the pin and hav ing a pair of notches in one end receiving said pin therein, a coiled spring surrounding the shaft and interposed betw en the nut and the sleeve, a ring loosely surrounding but forwardly rotatable with the sleeve. said ring having at one end a pair 3-}. pin

retracting cams disposed at angles to the direction of rotation of the shi It and noanally in contact with the rear sides of the opposite ends of the pin, and means, for

preventing rotation of the aforesaid ring key member projecting from saidshaft at a point spaced from one end thereof, a stop on said end, a sleeve loosely surrounding the shaft and having in one end a notch receiving the key member therein, a clutch member carried by said sleeve, a spring in terposed between the sleeve and the stop whereby to retain the key member in the aforesaid notch, a ring loosely surrounding but forwardly rotatable with the sleeve and having at one end a key shifting cam disposed at an angle to the direction of rotation of the shaft and normally positioned in contact with the rear side of said key member, a collar snugly surrounding the ring and adaptedto be fixed against rotation, said collar having a tangentially disposed bore opening through its inner face, a toothed wedge shaped jaw member slidable in said bore and having its teeth presented for contact with the ring, and a spring in the bore for shifting said wedge member in one direction to force its teeth normally into contact with said ring.

5. In combination, a starting shaft to be rotated in one direction, a radially disposed key member carried thereby and spaced from one end thereof, a stop on, said end, a sleeve loosely surrounding the shaft and having in one end a notchreceiving the key member therein, a clutch member carried by said sleeve, a spring interposed between the sleeve andthe stop whereby to retain the :key member in the aforesaid notch, a ring loosely surrounding but forwardly rotatable with the sleeve and having in one end a key shiftin cam disposed at anangle' to the direction 0 rotation of the shaft and normally positioned in contact with the rear side of said key member, a collar having ratchet means to prevent rotation of the ring in a reverse direction, a pair of lugs projected outwardly from said collar, and a pair of elongated guides in which said lugs are slidably mounted.

6. in combination a starting shaft member to be rotated in one direction and formed of a pair of slidably connected sections, a ring surrounding one secti and rotatable therewith in one irection, 'an obliquely disposed cam on one end of said ring, a projection on the other s ction to be engaged by said cam to disconnect the two sections, a collar having ratchet means for preventing rotation of the aforesaid ring in one direction, an outwardly extending projection onsaid collar, and an elongated guide vreceiving said projection slidably therein. In testimony whereof I have hereunto se my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. v

WILLIAM F. VAN HOESEN. Witnesses:

FREDERICK 0mm,

Joan E. Srownm. 

